Comminuting ashtray



Nov. 3, 1964 J. B. LITEL 3,

COMMINUTING ASHTRAY Filed Sept. 10, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. JOH/V 5. 1/754 Nov. 3, 1964 J. B. LlTEL COMMINUTING ASHTRAY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 10, 1962 b q wk ma. w m w m W m t 45 United States Patent 3,155,327 COMBHNUTING ASHTRAY John B. Litel, Box 168, Woodland Hills, Calif. Filed Sept. 10, 1962, Ser. No. 222,532 12 Claims. (Cl. 241-56) This invention relates to an improved device for extinguishing and elimination of cigarettes and the like.

It is an object of this invention to provide a device for the snuffing out and comminuting of lighted cigars, cigarettes and the like.

A further object of this invention is to provide a power driven device which while performing the above functions, prevents any ash or spark from escaping therefrom.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a device which can handle any of the conventional filter cigarettes.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a device which as it operates, will tend to remove stale and smoky air.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a device which is sanitary and fireproof suitable for use in automobiles and other means of transportation as well as hotels, cafes and other stationary installations.

Other objects and advantages will be readily apparent from the following description:

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of the device illustrating the feeding arrangement.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary section of the device of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a view taken along line 33 of FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic view of the assembly at the top of the feeding chute.

FIGURE 5 is a view taken along line 5-5 of FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation of the comminuting device with parts thereof broken away.

FIGURE 7 is a view taken along line 77 of FIG- URE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a view taken alonge line 88 of FIG- URE 6.

FIGURE 9 is a view taken along line 99 of FIG- URE 6.

FIGURE 10 is a view taken along line 19-10 of FIG- URE 6.

FIGURE 11 is a side elevation of the rear blade assembly.

A feed chute 20 is provided having a cover 22 at its uppermost extremity. The cover may fit flush in the surface of a table, automobile dashboard or elsewhere where the device is used and is provided with a plurality of openings 24 of suificiently large diameter to permit cigarettes or cigars to pass, but precludes larger objects. The chute is divided into two passages by wall 26 fixed therein, the upper passage 28 emptying into the comminuting device and lower chute 30 into accumulating chamber 32.

An elongated strip 34 has one end clamped by lid 22 to the upper end of chute 26 and is supported by adjustable spring 36 to form a continuation of wall 26. Whenever a heavier object than a cigar or cigarette passes through a hole 24, its weight will depress strip 34 as shown by the phantom lines in FIGURE 2 and divert same into chamber 32 wherefrom same-may be reclaimed through door 38. The pressure of spring 36 is altered by set screw 49 to permit the desired objects to pass which are not of suthcient weight to depress strip 34.

After the cigars and cigarettes have passed. through the chute 20, they pass into the comminuting chamber 42 of the comminuting assembly. The assembly consists generally of a hollow elongated housing 44 formed of two halves 46 and 48 which in this embodiment, have a V and groove interconnection and are secured together and to legs 50 of stand 52 by bolts 54. Inside the housing a rotor 56 is mounted upon drive shaft 58 which pro jects through the end of the housing and is driven by a motor 60.

In the forward or comminuting chamber 42 of the housing the rotor is tapered and supported in bearing 62. On the tapered portion 64 of the rotor as well as the reduced portion 66 immediately to the rear thereof a series of very sharp comminuting blades 68 are fixed. In this embodiment the blades are L-shaped with the lower leg welded to the rotor although obviously any other means of afiixing same may be resorted to.

To the rear of the comminuting chamber in the housing is the snufling chamber 70. Here the rotor is of maximum diameter and at its periphery has a series of parallel longitudinally extending blades 72 which extend to within -a very minute distance of the interior surface of the housing 44 and as the rotor is rotated, function to snuff out the burning tobacco.

Fixed upon the rotor to the rear of blades 72 on a reduced section thereof are impeller blades 74 which curve slightly from the rear extremity to the front. Po sitioned between said impeller blades are resilient wiper blades 79 which wipe the inner surface of housing 44 to prevent any spark passing to the rear of same. Impeller blades 74 function with fan blades 76 mounted upon the rotor to the rear of impeller blades to draw air and remnants to the rear of the housing into container 78. An additional vacuum source such as a conventional vacuum cleaner may be associated with container 78 and either independently driven or driven off motor 60 in any manner well known to those skilled in the art.

Thus in operation a lighted cigarette for example, is deposited in chute 20 wherein same is selectively directed into comminuting chamber 42 and subjected to the action of comminuting blade 68 which will comminute even the most difiicult filters. The remnants are then fed to the snuffer chamber wherein snufling blades 72 in conjunction with the inner surface of housing 42 will extinguish same. The extinguished remains then pass through exhaust chamber 80 and into container 78 which may be periodically emptied. The container 78 may of course be dispensed with except Where complete insurance against possible fire is desirable.

While what hereinbefore has been described as the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is readily apparent that alterations and modifications may be resorted to without departing from the scope of this invention and such alterations and modificationstare intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 7

1. A comminuting ashtray comprising: a housing, a rotor within said housing, said rotor carrying a plurality of comminuting blades at the forward extremity, said rotor carrying a plurality of snufiing blades extending longitudinally of said rotor and immediately to the rear of said comminuting blades and means associated with said hous ing to the rear of said comminuting blade for drawing air and articles through both sets of blades. 7

2. A comminuting ashtray comprising: a housing having an inlet and an outlet, a rotatable rotor within said housing, a plurality of sharpened spaced comminuting I blades mounted upon said rotor adjacent the housing inlet, a plurality of snufiing blades extending longitudinally and mounted upon said rotor to the rear of said comminuting an inlet and outlet, a rotatable rotor within said hous ing, a plurality of sharpened spaced comminuting blades mounted upon a reduced portion of said rotor adjacent the housing inlet, a plurality of snuifing blades extending longitudinally and mounted upon said rotor to the rear of said comminuting blades, and air moving means adjacent said outlet drawing air and articles from said inlet to said outlet.

4. A comminuting ashtray comprising: a housing having an inlet and an outlet, a rotatable rotor within said housing, a plurality of sharpened spaced comminuting blades mounted upon said rotor adjacent the housing inlet, a plurality of snufling blades extending longitudinally along a section of said rotor to the rear of said comminuting blades, and air moving means adjacent said outlet drawing air and articles from said inlet to said outlet.

5. A comminuting ashtray comprising: a housing having an inlet and an outlet, a rotatable rotor within said housing, a plurality of sharpened spaced comminuting blades mounted upon a reduced portion of said rotor adjacent the housing inlet, said rotor adjacent the housing inlet, a plurality of snufling blades extending longitudinally along a section of said rotor to the rear of said comminuting blades, and air moving means adjacent said outlet drawing air and articles from said inlet to said outlet.

6. A comminuting ashtray comprising: a housing having an inlet and an outlet, a rotatable rotor within said housing, a plurality of sharpened spaced comminuting blades mounted upon said rotor adjacent the housing inlet, a plurality of snufiing blades extending longitudinally and mounted upon said rotor to the rear of said comminuting blades, air moving means adjacent said outlet drawing air and articles from said inlet to said outlet, and an inclined chute communicating with said housing inlet.

7. A comminuting ashtray comprising: a housing having an inlet and an outlet, a rotatable rotor within said housing, a plurality of sharpened spaced comminuting blades mounted upon said rotor adjacent the housing inlet, a plurality of snufiing blades mounted upon said rotor to the rear of said comminuting blades, air moving means adjacent said outlet drawing air and articles from said inlet to said outlet, an inclined chute communicating with said housing inlet, and means within said chute for admitting cigarettes and cigars into said housing inlet and by-passing other objects.

8. A comminuting ashtray comprising: a housing having an inlet and an outlet, a rotatable rotor within said housing, a plurality of sharpened spaced comminuting blades mounted upon said rotor adjacent the housing inlet,

a plurality of snufiing blades mounted upon said rotor to chute dividing same into two passages wherein an over- Weight object will depress said divider and be diverted into a discharge passage.

9. A comminuting ashtray comprising: a housing having an inlet and an outlet, a rotatable rotor within said housing, a plurality of sharpened spaced comminuting blades mounted upon said rotor adjacent the housing inlet, a plurality of snufiing blades mounted upon said rotor to the rear of said comminuting blades, air moving means adjacent said outlet drawing air and articles from said inlet to said outlet, an inclined chute communicating with said housing inlet, means within said chute for admitting cigarettes and cigars into said housing inlet and by-passing other objects, and a lid for said chute having a plurality of relatively small openings therein.

10. A comminuting ashtray comprising: a housing having an inlet and an outlet, a rotatable rotor within said housing, a plurality of sharpened spaced comminuting blades mounted upon said rotor adjacent the housing inlet, a plurality of snufling blades mounted upon said rotor to the rear of said comminuting blades, air moving means adjacent said outlet drawing air and articles from said inlet to said outlet, an inclined chute communicating with said housing inlet, a spring supported divider in said chute dividing same into two passages wherein an overweight object will depress said divider and be diverted into a discharge passage, and a lid for said chute having a plurality of relatively small openings therein.

11. A comminuting ashtray comprising: a housing having an inlet and an outlet, a rotatable rotor within said housing, a plurality of sharpened spaced comminuting blades mounted upon a reduced portion of said rotor adjacent the housing inlet, said rotor adjacentthe housing inlet, a plurality of snuifing blades extending longitudinally along a section of said roller to the rear of said comminuting blades, air moving means adjacent said outlet drawing air and articles from said inlet to said outlet, an inclined chute communicating with said housing inlet, and a spring supported divider in said chute dividing same into two passages wherein an overweight object will depress said divider and be diverted into a discharge passage.

12. A comminuting ashtray comprising: a housing having an inlet and an outlet, a rotatable rotor Within said housing, a plurality of sharpened spaced comminuting blades mounted upon said rotor adjacent the housing inlet, a plurality of snufiing blades mounted upon said rotor to the rear of said comminuting blades, air moving means adjacent said outlet drawing air and articles from said inlet to said outlet, an inclined chute communicating with said housing inlet, a spring uspported divider in said chute dividing same into two passages wherein an overweight object will depress said divider and be diverted into a discharge passage, a lid for said chute having a plurality of relatively small openings therein, and a lid for said chute having a plurality of relatively small openings therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,737,350 Craig Mar. 6, 1963 

1. A COMMINUTING ASHTRAY COMPRISING: A HOUSING, A ROTOR WITHIN SAID HOUSING, SAID ROTOR CARRYING A PLURALITY OF COMMINUTING BLADES AT THE FORWARD EXTERMITY, SAID ROTOR CARRYING A PLURALITY OF SNUFFING BLADES EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID ROTOR AND IMMEDIATELY TO THE REAR OF SAID COMMINUTING BLADES AND MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID HOUSING TO THE REAR OF SAID COMMINUTING BLADE FOR DRAWING AIR AND ARTICLES THROUGH BOTH SETS OF BLADES. 